Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Anniversary Gift" & "Income Tax":

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Anniversary Gift" & "Income Tax":

Episode #43 (Syndicated episode #85)
TV: Attached to "Finger Man."
VCR: Attached to "Boys & Girls Together."
DVD: Attached to "Boys and Girls Together," "Pickles" & "This Is Your Life." On the Lost Episodes DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Income Tax”, “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version), & “Dorsey Bros. Show”
Air Date: Sat. 2/21/53

"Anniversary Gift":

In the early 2020s, the audio of this sketch was heard on SiriusXM's Comedy Greats channel's special: "The Very Best of The Jackie Gleason Show."

This episode opens up in the Kramden apartment with Ralph & Alice telling the Nortons it is their anniversary. After Alice & Trixie go into the bedroom, Ed tells her a story on how he saw Trixie on the job and he gave her a rose. He had to because it was her costume. Ha!

Ralph shows Ed what he is planning to give to Alice for the anniversary. It is a box of 2000 matchsticks glued together the same gift that Ralph wanted to give to Alice in "'Twas The Night Before Christmas." Ralph says it is an exclusive thing, much like in the Christmas episode. Alice comes out and gives Ralph her present. Ralph opens it up. Ralph: "Gee, just what I always wanted. Money." Now Ralph get can get that suede jacket he wanted.

Trixie gives Alice her gift which is the same gift that Ralph got for Alice. Again, the same thing happens in the Christmas episode. Ed (to Ralph): "Come on. Give her your gift." Ralph lies to Alice, saying that the gift is coming on delivery. The girls go into the bedroom.

Ralph gets mad at Ed for putting him in a bigger spot than he already is in. A delivery person comes with a dress for Mrs. O' Leary but no one is there at her place. So he asks Ralph to hold onto it. Alice sees Mrs. O' Leary's gift and assumes it belongs to her. Alice goes into the bedroom to try on the dress. Ralph gets mad because now he has to get Mrs. O' Leary a dress. He hatches an idea on how to get himself out of this mess without telling Alice that he lied and without telling Mrs. O' Lear what happened to her dress. The plan is so complicated that Ed said by the time Ralph gets finished, it will be anniversary time again.

Alice comes out with Mrs. O' Leary's dress on and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the dress is a little big on Alice. Trixie cuts the dress as Ralph becomes more nervous. Mrs. O' Leary comes to the house and gets mad at what Alice & Trixie are doing to her dress. The person who played Mrs. O' Leary is the same person who played several characters on the show such as Mrs. Manicotti, I think. Ralph confesses to her and gives her the $25 so she can buy a new dress. Alice then confesses the truth to Alice. Alice says she doesn't know why, but she loves him.

Episode #44 (Syndicated episode #65)
TV: Attached to "Manager of The Baseball Team" (1953 version.)
VCR: Attached to "My Fair Landlord."
DVD: Attached to "Songs & Witty Sayings" & "Norton Moves In." On the Lost Episodes Restored DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Honeymooners Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version) & “Dorsey Bros. Show.”
Air Date: Sat. 3/7/53

"Income Tax":

According to John K's Book, this episode is titled: "Income Tax Time."

The episode opens up with Ralph going crazy looking for his Income Tax form. He also said he went over one form several times before finding out that it was an old bowling score. Ha!

He and Alice eventually sit down to try to do the Income Tax form. Ralph reads the instructions. Alice asks Ralph if he knows what to do. Ralph says he doesn't know what the instructions are much like in "The Worry Wart" where Ralph reads the "Penalty For Failure to Report Income" section.

After Ralph reads some of the instructions, Alice says an idiot can figure that out. Ralph: "Don't worry. I'll get it." Basically, Ralph just admitted that he's beyond an idiot. Ha!

Ed Norton comes down. He says he just got Trixie a gift that proves that he still loves her. You know what it is? A new broom. Ha. Ralph tells Ed how much of a hard time he is having by doing his Income Tax form. Ed: "Maybe you'll get pneumonia by March 15th." Yes a folk, during this time, Tax Day was on March 15th. Ralph wonders why. Ed says that is the best time to catch that sickness. After that, Ed leaves.

Ralph and Alice go over the form some more. Ralph reads over all the insurance about injuries and such. Alice says that he hasn't experienced any of them. Ralph: "I guess I am the unluckiest guy in the world." Ralph talks about the how costs are going up. Alice counters by saying that the cost of milk is going down. Ralph: "That's true, but has the cow said that milk is going down? No."

Finally, Ralph has figured that he owes $15 but he is planning on using that $15 to buy a new bowling ball. A priest comes by and asks for some money. Ralph gives him the $15. Ralph then goes on to make a speech saying how great a country America is.

Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, the now defunct tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, the now defunct Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.

[Frank Gannucci]

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